Saturday 25 July 2009

Our Holiday in Wales


On Trimmie, I run a little monthly Challenge called the Scrapbook Sketch Challenge and I always run out of time to get my lo in, which is a bit embarrassing.....! LOL! I actually got it done on time this month and it was a 'real' one instead of a digi!
Thanx for looking!
Ei
x

Trimmie Birthday Card

Using the same Tilda image but with a different colourway, this card was made for Trimmie Pal, Sandra's, birthday a couple of days ago.
I know she's had it now, so I can upload it!
Thank you for looking!

Tilda Dragonfly


I saw this stamp on one of Maddy Hill's demo cards and immediately bought it. I think it's one of the cutest Magnolias, so I've used it for the Magnolia Challenge. In addition, the colour pallette is way out of my comfort zone and I'm not totally happy with it, but if we don't stretch ourselves, we get boring! LOL!
The papers are Cherry Arte and the image is coloured with Copics. It's middle opening with the Tilda image and mats being the placket.
Thanx for looking!
Ei
x

Penny Black Mice Card


I love Penny Black stamps and I rediscovered them earlier this year after a bit of a break from stamping to follow other disciplines.
I made this card as an entry to this week's Saturday Sketch and hope I've got it in in time! LOL!
I coloured the image with Copics, used K&Co papers and a flower from a cheap spray from a discount store.
Thank you for looking!
Ei
x

Wednesday 22 July 2009

Floral Filigree Card


This was intended for C.R.A.F.T challenge 9, but I'm not sure it's 'shaped' enough! LOL! Never mind, eh? I'll see if I have time to make another, more 'shaped' one! I'mm going to upload this and put the instructions as an edit as my PC is playing up and crashes if I'm on too long. Be back soon! Hugs, Ei x

Friendship Card


I made this card for a Trimmie friend Paddington Fan (Jacky) as part of our monthly swap but with special thoughts & wishes in the making as she has just lost her nine year old bunny Hartley, whom she loved very much.

It's important for us to realise that the pain caused by the loss of a much-loved pet, is just as real as that caused by the loss of a human.

Those peeps who say things like '...it's only a bunny... ' or '...it's only a dog...' are showing their limited understanding of the human condition and should not embarrass themselves by uttering such hurtful phrases.

My condolences to Jacky, and anyone else who has ever lost a much-loved four-legged pal.

Ei
x

Tuesday 21 July 2009

Keeper Card



I created this folder for my extremely talented friend Cheryl to keep her stamped images in until they're selected for a card.

Materials (I've used)

A4 cardstock of choice, scored and folded in half
K&Co Pad to Go - Hannah
2" taffeta ribbon in olive green
Double-sided tape
Silicone glue
Glue-runner or Xyron adhesive
Brads
Stamped image, coloured & matted
Craft knife & cutting mat
Chalks or pastels (I used pastels)


Method

Take your scored & folded cardstock and with your craft knife and ruler, cut the spine to about one third down.

Then cut on a downward diagonal by about another third. Put the cut-off card to one side.

Adhere selections of your chosen patterend paper to three faces of this card leaving the inside front bare and ensuring the piece adhered to the front is double-sided as you're going to be folding this back on itself. Alternatively you can always back this with another piece of patterned.

Adhere the cut off piece of card to the inside front by using ds tape to three sides, leaving the top diagonal edge open for the pocket.

Trim all the papers to fit the card except for the front piece which you want to be squared off to the long side.

This would be a good time to use your chalks/pastels if you wish to shade some or all of your edges.

Take another piece of patterned paper and cut two pieces to match each of the inside pockets. Adhere by using ds tape. Only use on three sides for the right hand piece in order to make the pocket.

Use the brads to secure the joins on the right hand inside page as shown, to strengthen them. (Do the same on the left if required but do this before sticking the top patterned paper on the front piece as you will want to cover the 'legs'.)

Place the card flat open with the inside face down.
Slip the mounted stamped image bottom edge into the front pocket, position it to suit and secure it with either ds tape or even a little silicone glue.

Run ds tape around the 'waist' of the card and place the ribbon over it. Secure at the side in a bow. You can also place a couple of brads where the ribbon hits the edge just to make it a little more secure.

Fold the front top right corner diagonally over the ribbon and secure with a brad.

Make a smaller, rectangular pocket on the top of the inside left pocket for small items and to cover the 'legs' of the brad.

Done!
I hope this is clear but feel free to contact me if it's not!
Hugs,
Ei
x

Monday 20 July 2009

Our Verdant Garden!



We all whinge about the amount of rain we get in this country (...and believe me, Liverpool gets more than its fair share...!) but would it really be the same if we didn't have such copious amounts of lovely refreshing rainwater in our gardens?
My little Ada was a bit apprehensive when she went out into our rather overstocked garden to find it had turned into a jungle since her last visit!
She was very cute!

She's quite recovered from her accident now but tip-toes gingerly anywhere she perceives there may be a trap or an ambush waiting for her!

Our Lovely Welsh Holiday


Hi everyone! Sorry I've not been around - been on holiday in Pembrokeshire, South Wales and what a beautiful part of the country it is too!
Got some fab photo's to share, once I get organised, and what fab beaches! If only we could guarantee the weather, the UK would knock spots off anywhere in the world. But then I don't suppose we'd be so green and verdant.

We had a great time exploring the clean, beautiful & empty beaches, the rockpools and identifying all manner of flora & fauna, we went on a Sea Safari and saw seals and porpoise, we ate the most heavenly crab salad at the Boathouse Inn at Stackpole and also their Mackerel Pate - gorgeous grub!

Saundersfoot beach is very easily accessed, which is just as well as I damaged my knee getting into the boat for the safari. I now have what's known as a Baker's cyst behind my knee. Very painful.

We joined the National Trust whilst we were there and so got into all the car-parks free and also Carew Castle, which is well worth a visit too.
Unfortunately we didn't get as much out of it as we might because of my knee.

Broadhaven Sands and Barafundle beach are harder to access as is Marloes but I managed all but Barafundle which was just one too many for my poor knee. So I dropped Nic at Broadhaven and he walked along the coast accross the three beaches and met me at Stackple Quay where we had a lovely lunch!

Bosherston Lily Ponds were once the great fishing lakes of the king and are now safe haven for all manner of wildlife. It's quite a walk around the perimiter, so once again, I walked as far as I could and met Nic back at the car-park. That was quite painful enough thank you!

I did feel sorry for Nic as I did spoil his holiday to an extent because of my inability to walk at any speed for any distance. He's a very active man and misses our dogs every bit as much as I do as his great love was to yomp with them for miles and miles, preferably on a wet day. He borrows Simba the labrador from our son Rob now and again but it's not the same as having your own four-legged pal.

We met a lot of lovely dogs on our hol too. There was a beautiful Gordon Setter called Max who reminded us of a Gordon called China who once ruled our lives. We still miss that big galoot! He managed to be both a clown and very noble in the same breath.
We also met a fabulous Deerhound called Gracie, who we would have cheerfully dognapped and brought home with us in a heartbeat! Oh she was gorgeous!

Lovely!

Lots going on at Chez Eiglas... ;)

I've been home from work now for nearly three months - and it has been wonderful...! I've drawn, painted, had an amazing time with ...